The Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board (HSCDSB) began promoting the “By Your Side” learning hub on February 10, 2026, to provide parents and caregivers in Elliot Lake, Ontario, with free online tools to support their children’s mental health. The digital hub, titled By Your Side, offers downloadable guides and info sheets designed to help families identify and respond to student anxiety and support emotional well‑being at home; SMHO lists webinars and videos as “coming soon.”
Created by School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO), the By Your Side hub includes practical resources on building resilience and managing transitions between school and home. The materials are published online and available for asynchronous access so parents and caregivers can learn at their own pace through downloadable guides and other resources.
The board is promoting these tools to support families at local schools — including Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of Fatima — to help identify early signs of mental health struggles. The initiative aligns with provincial priorities set out by the Ontario Ministry of Education to make student well‑being a core part of student success.
Families who need more direct help after using the online tools are encouraged to speak with their child’s teacher or principal to request support from school‑based social work or psychology staff, or other mental health staff. For more intensive clinical care in the community, local pathways include Algoma Family Services; for immediate, 24/7 crisis or confidential support, families can contact Kids Help Phone (text CONNECT to 686868 or visit kidshelpphone.ca).
